Bottle closure



March 23, 1943.

J. W. MA USSEN ET BOTTLE CLOSURE Original Filed April 19, 1938 1 7 i W Ha I 9 6 2 2+ 74 I I INVE J/wv MM NTQR AUJJENET. i W m ATTORNEY 1Reissued Mar. 23, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

22,294 BOTTLE CLOSURE Long Island City, N. Y.

John W. Maussenet,

2,146,903, dated 202,830, April 19, May 18, 1940, Serial No. 336,057

Original No. Serial No. for reissue 6 Claims.

This invention pertains to closures, particularly for bottles.

Numerous means have been proposed to protect bottled liquids againstsubstitution or replacement, but previous devices to be applied to theneck of a bottle sometimes have been cumbersome and expensive, sometimesfragile, and sometimes uncertain and unreliable in use.

An object of this invention is to provide closure means of simple andinexpensive nature to guard a bottle effectively against refilling, andfurther to prevent impairment of the quality of liquid. It is an objectthat a closure not only protect bottled liquid against replacement andagainst evaporation losses, but also assure that a bottle after openingremain uncontaminated with dust. A further purpose is to provide such aclosure in form readily adaptable to differing styles of bottle. Animportant object also is to provide a closure which can readily bemanufactured and assembled by high speed operations, but yet shall bepositive and dependable in action,

Another object is to provide an automatic bottle closure of tubular formadapted to slide under he force of gravity in the neck of a bottle toclose the same when the bottle is upright, and to slide to openpositionwhen the bottle is tipped with its mouth in a lowered position as occursin the normal process of pouring liquid thereupon.

Another object is to provide a combined closure and pouring device whichwill automatically operate to close a bottle and automatically operateto open and serve as a pouring means or spout, when the bottle is tippedto pour liquid therefrom.

A further object is to provide a device of the class described whichwill overlie the face of the annular end of the bottle neck and therebyprevent the lodgment of dust thereon while the bottle is not in use.

The principles of this invention will be described with reference to anillustrative embodiment which is shown in the appended drawing, and morefully explained in the following description, with the novel featuresthereof particularly pointed out in the accompanying claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a section through a bottle top in upright position,

Figure 2 is a section through an inverted bottle top, showing 1nelevation a guard in open position co-operating with an underlying flapvalve,

Figure 3' is a plan of the flap valve, as shown from the line 3-3 ofFigure 1,

February 14, 1939, 1938. Application gasket 0 and barrier Figure 4 is aplan of a seat for the flap valve, as shown from the line 4-4 of Figurel, and

Figure 5 is a ection through a bottle neck in upright position showing amodified form of this invention, with a guard in elevation shown inclosed position.

The embodiment of this invention shown in the drawing is at presentpreferred, but without limitation thereto beyond the scope of claims.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is shown a bottle neckI that is separably secured to a bottle 2, as for instance by a metalband 5 crimped over suitable shoulders on the neck and on the bottle. Inthe bottom of the neck is secured a flap valve 6, above which acylindrical guard 1 extends with sliding engagement through the upperneck opening.

Below the flap valve 6, the engaging faces of the neck and the bottleare made tight by a gasket 8. Upon the gasket is interposed an annularbarrier 5 containing a cross-bar, as shown in Figure 4 and above thisbarrier is secured a diaphragm 6 containing flap valves as shown inFigure 3. These three elements, diaphragm 6,

9 are shown clamped between the neck I and bottle 2 so that the crossbar of barrier 9 supports the flap of valve 6, as shown in Figure l. Thediaphragm or disk S preferably is slit to contain two opposedsemicircular flaps that meet along a common diameter upon the support ofbarrier 9, as shown in Figure 3.

This arrangement makes it feasible to construct valve disk 6 ofexceedingly thin but resilient material of inexpensive nature. For manypurposes this material also must be capable of withstanding the actionof alcoholic liquid or vapors for considerable time. Preferably thenthis diaphragm 6 is of a parchmentized paper such as has been induratedwith protein material and known in the trade as Patapar." This paper hasbeen caused to absorb soya or other vegetable protein, and is tough evenafter standing some time in fumes of alcohol. Such a flap valve isreliable, and the flaps are of such light weight as to open or closereadily under even slight pressure. They seat evenly even though stampedor cut by high-speed machinery.

Above valve disk 6 elongate cylinder I is mounted and constructed toperform several functions.

This cylinder 1 is closed or capped at its top and bottom, so as tominimize any possibility of inserting an object under the flaps of valve5.

Thus the cylinder acts as a "guard. The lower right, the advantages of adisk cap III of guard I may be integral with the guard if desired, butthe upper cap ll preferably is attached, and sealed, after the guard isassembled in the bottle neck. This is so that the upper end of cylinderI may project above the mouth of the bottle. At an intermediate line ofguard I is fastened a shoulder or other projection I2 to limit theoutward movement of the guard. This stop I2 may be applied after theguard I is assembled in the neck, so that upper cap I I may be madeintegral with guard I and lower cap I may be attached after assembly;or, both caps may be detached and the ends of the guard be initiallyinterchangeable. This construction thus is readily adapted for quickassembly and for replacement.

Further, guard I in preferred form is constructed so that caps III andII extend along the cylinder wall or the cylinder wall at each end isclosed for a distance. This further minimizes the possibility oftampering with flap valve E by insertion of a wire or reed through guardI. In addition the middle wall portion of guard I preferably is closed,and seats snugly in the mouth of bottle neck I. This not only minimizestampering but also strengthens the guard and serves to guidethecylinder. The walls of guard I are open near this middle portion butbetween the middle and the end may be columnar as shown, or may beotherwise formed for additional safe-- guard against tampering. Thecylinder is hollow, so that when the bottle is inverted, liquid may flowout by entering the side of the cylinder, and emerging from the side.Thus the cylinder is in the form of a closed sleeve guard. This a paththat liquid emerges smoothly and without dissipation of dissolved gases,rather than gushing and splashing.

The arrangement of cap II is such that when the bottle is upright, thebottom of guard I presses down circumferentially upon fiap valves 6 tohold them closed. In the form shown in Figure 1 cap I 0 rests directlyupon flaps 5. In this function, the enlargement of cap I 0 alsocontributes to the difficulty of tampering with flaps 5. Stop element I2is disposed so that, for pouring, guard 6 slides away from flaps 6 justsufiiciently for liquid to emerge from the open ilaps, while justsuflicient opening is exposed outside the bottle for liquid to pour.

In a modification of this invention, shown in Figure 5, furtherprotection is provided against surreptitious opening of disk flaps E. Inthis form, a sleeve I3 is clamped around the lower end of guard 6.Within sleeve I3 is a movable plunger block I4 which substantially fillsthe sleeve but is adapted to slide down easily upon disks 6 when thebottle is in upright position. Between block I4 and the bottom of guard6 is interposed a light compression spring I5 which tends to keep blockI4 down upon disk valve 6 even if the guard 6 is raised while the bottleis upright. However, when the bottle is inverted two factors combine tofree valves 6 for opening: the guard Ii moves away under gravity andalso block I4 moves its weight against the light spring 55. Thus quickaction is provided when the bottle is inverted; while when the bottle isupvalve with its positive seating are secured and guarded.

Further, as shown in Figure 5, there may be interposed abovevalvedlaphragm '5, an annular member with circular upstanding walls ISin registry with sleeve I3. Thus the hinge area of flap valve 6 isstrengthened and protected against rupture, and also additionalprotection is afforded against opening flap 6 except for pouring. Evenin pouring, walls I 6 lend protection to flaps 6, so that tampering withthe valve is substantially impossible.

Materials for construction of this invention may be selected by thoseskilled in this art, but the combination of parts herein are such as topermit the use of fusible material such as glass for the guard. Ormoldable resins, or hard rubber, may be used. The structure is reliableeven though formed and assembled by present-day high speed operations.

In the use of this invention, the guard may be assembled in variousbottle necks and may be replaced from standard parts. Ordinarily thebody of a bottle would be filled with liquid, and then the assembledneck with interposed gasket and valve disks clamped to the bottle. Theneck may have been pre-sealed if desired.

When the bottle is opened and inverted, the sleeve guard slides slightlyout of the neck to expose openings for pouring, while the pressure ofliquid opens the valve flaps. Liquid flows in a tortuous path around thebottom of the guard and emerges out of the side of the projecting guard.While open, the arrangement of caps and walls at the ends of the guardprotects the fiap valves against ready insertion of an object. When thebottle is restored to upright position, the flap valves afford adependable seat, which is enhanced by pressure from the guard. Guard capIi closes the bottle eifectively against entrance of dust and againstescape of vapors. this way is preserved a high degree of cleanliness andquality of liquid. This is promoted further, and the guard is guided fordependable registry upon the valves, by the close seating of a considerab-le middle portion of the guard in the bottle neck.

The guard cylinder or hollow sleeve 1 with caps I0 and II and shoulderI2 may be used or separated from the bottle and forming a pouring devicehaving a freely projecting outer end forming a delivery spout adapted toguide the outflowing liquid, the upper cap I I overlies the annular rimon the outer end of the bottle neck so that when the bottle is standingand the device is in closed position the lodgment of dust on this rim isprevented.

An outer seal as shown extending over the cap II, Figure 1 may becrimped as shown to the neck member I to lock thedevice in closedposition for shipment, thus sealing the bottle until it is opened foruse.

Also, it will be noted th within'the scope of the appended I claim: I H

1. A non-refillable bottle comprising a separable neck, a diaphragmsecured between the I body of the bottle and the neck and containing apair of co-operating flap valves having a common opening, a sleeve guardcontaining a central fluid conduit with inlet and outlet openings in theside walls and a cap at each end, the guard being fitted to slide in theneck and in downward position to exert pressure upon the flap valves andto close the neck, and means to limit outward sliding of the cylinder.

2. A non-refillable bottle comprising a separable neck, a diaphragmsecured between the body of the bottle and the neck containing a pair ofsemi-circular flap valves meeting along a common opening, a support barsecured under the flaps, a hollow sleeve guard adapted to press upon theflaps and to slide snugly in the neck, the guard being closed along themiddle and each end and containing inlet and outlet openings near theclosed middle portion.

3. A non-refillable bottle comprising a separable neck, a diaphragmsecured between the neck and the body of the bottle and containing apair of co-operating flap valves meeting along a common opening, anannular support containing a cross bar under the opening of the flaps, ahollow cylindrical guard filling the top of the neck, the guard beingclosed at each end and along the walls adjacent each end and at themiddle, the guard being adapted to slide in the neck and containingopenings near the middle walls to conduct liquid from the bottle withthe guard in outward position, the guard being adapted in downwardposition to press upon the flap valves and to close the neck, and meansto limit outward sliding of the cylinder to a position near the flapswhen open and to expose the outlet openings for pouring liquid.

4. A non-refillable bottle comprising a separable neck, a diaphragmsecured between the light spring interposed between the plunger and thelower guard cap.

5. A non-refillable bottle comprising a separable neck, a diaphragmsecured between the body of the bottle and the neck containing a pair ofsemi-circular flap valves, an annular member secured above the flapvalve diaphragm and containing a circular wall about the valve flaps, ahollow cylindrical guard closed at its ends and containing inlet andoutlet openings in its side and adapted to slide in the neck, an opensleeve fitted over the bottom cap, and a plunger freely movable in thesleeve to rest upon the flaps, the sleeve being constructed to registerwith the circular wall about the flap valve for protection againsttampering.

6. A bottle closure comprising a neck, a diaphragm secured near thebottom of the neck and containing a pair of cooperating flap valveshaving a common opening, a sleeve guard containing a central fluidconduit with inlet and outlet openings in the side walls and a cap ateach end, the guard being fitted to slide in the neck and in downwardposition to press down upon the flap valves and to close the neck, andmeans to limit outward sliding of the cylinder.

JOHN W. MAUSSENET.

